Trick Shot (comics)

Years later, due to his excessive drinking and unhealthy living, Trick Shot developed cancer. Rather than die in a hospital bed, he decided to issue his former pupil with a death challenge, an honorable duel that he fully intended on losing. Clint, now the superhero and Avenger Hawkeye, felt that he had no alternative to answer the challenge due to the unfinished business between the pair. On an uninhabited island in the Greek isles, Trick Shot and Hawkeye battled one another, each relying on their archery skills. Hawkeye began to wonder why Trick Shot was holding back with his shots. He found his answer when he defeated his former mentor. Trick Shot revealed the reasons behind his challenge and his desire to die with honor. Instead of killing him, Hawkeye promised to help fund Trick Shot's medical care.[1][4]

Trick Shot was told by doctors that his cancer had gone into remission.[5] Later, he learned that the supervillain Crossfire had placed a bounty on Hawkeye's right arm and a number of supervillains (including the Bobcat, the Brothers Grimm, the Bullet Biker, the Death-Throws, Mad Dog and Razor Fist) tried to claim the reward. Trick Shot aided his former pupil and Mockingbird to defeat the bounty hunting supervillains.[5][6]

Trick Shot, along with another supervillain called Javelynn, was hired by the Viper and the Secret Empire to protect a top secret research facility in the Canadian Rockies. Hawkeye, who had isolated himself in the area after the apparent death of his wife Mockingbird, stumbled across the research facility by accident. The Avenger battled Trick Shot and Javelynn and barely escaped with his life. Later, witnessing the cruelty of the Secret Empire, Trick Shot abandoned his mercenary contract and aided Hawkeye against a 'Bio-Com' (a Biological Combat Unit, a monstrous canine-like creature created at the Secret Empire's research facility). After the battle, Trick Shot offers his condolences to Hawkeye regarding his wife and gives him the information he needs to take down the Viper and the Secret Empire for good. Trick Shot then leaves Hawkeye to face the evil organization and retires from being a supervillain.[7]

Years later, Trick Shot's cancer returned. Baron Zemo offered to help fund the treatment, but only if Trick Shot trains the resurrected Barney Barton to be a master archer. Trick Shot agreed, but he was soon double-crossed when the training was completed. He was then badly beaten and his cancer is allowed to fester over a sustained period. Later, a dying Trick Shot was delivered to Avengers Tower to get the attention of Hawkeye. The Avengers tried to save him, but they were too late. Before he died, Trick Shot warned Hawkeye of the new villainous Barney Barton and the impending danger.[8] Later, while battling Hawkeye, Barney Barton declared himself as the new Trick Shot, altering the name to Trickshot.[9]

• Trick Shot appears in the Avengers Assemble animated series,[12] voiced by Travis Willingham. In the episode "Crime and Circuses", it's revealed that Clint Barton was the previous version of the Circus of Crime, which shows the role as a legacy villain.